According to Hickey, the story really spawned from wanting to see a Kiwi back on the men’s tour. “The main reason I wanted to raise the funds comes down to how much I love surfing and going to watch WSL competitions,” Noah told The Inertia. “I followed Ricardo on Instagram and thought he was an epic human and how cool it would be to support him on the WSL or Olympics.

Together with friends, Hickey raised $35,000 to pay for Christie’s various expenses so he could focus explicitly on surfing and competing. “It started with a small group of passionate surfing fans that are all about encouraging people to do the best in their lives,” explained Ulrik Olsen, a close friend of Hickey’s. “As an ex-pro football player, Noah knows it takes a clear mind to perform at your best.

It’s like a circle of someone doing something for good, then rewarding that person by getting something that also does good. “Kelly Slater has been my favorite athlete of all time, even when I was playing football,” explained Hickey. “Getting the board was totally unexpected, which blew my mind.